ercent of the snaps in the opening days of preseason camp.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Edinson Volquez had focused between starts on doing better in the first inning.Things didnt quite pan out as Volquez allowed four of his eight runs in the opening inning of the Kansas City Royals 12-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night.Ive really struggled the first inning in my last couple outings, Volquez said. Me and (pitching coach) Dave (Eiland) tried something different tonight to take that away, but it didnt work.After Evan Longoria had a sacrifice fly, Steven Souza Jr. put the Rays up 4-0 on his three-run shot off Volquez (8-10) in the first.Souza had gone 109 at-bats without a homer after going deep June 4 against Minnesotas Ervin Santana.Hall of Fame pitchers have had issues with the first inning, Royals manager Ned Yost said. Tom Glavine and John Smoltz, they tried everything to get through the first. Once they got through the first they were unhittable, but a lot of pitchers have a little trouble finding their tempo and their rhythm. Then after the first they just roll. Thats what Edy does most of the time, but he just wasnt able to control the damage tonight.Volquez gave up 11 hits in five-plus innings. He has allowed 22 earned runs in the first inning over 23 starts, including seven in the last two outings.Jake Odorizzi had his third consecutive scoreless start for the Rays, who are 7-25 against the Royals since the start of the 2012 season.Figured out a way to beat those guys, Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said.Odorizzi (6-5) allowed two singles, walked two and had six strikeouts in six innings. The right-hander has not given up a run in 20 2/3 innings over the three-start stretch.Enny Romero and Ryan Garton completed a two-hitter.Kansas City had three errors, and has three games this season where it has given up at least 12 runs and made at least three errors. It happened once in the previous six seasons.Kevin Kiermaier hit a three-run drive off Chien-Ming Wang in a five-run sixth to put the Rays ahead 11-0.After the final six batters reached against Wang in his previous outing July 26 against the Los Angeles Angels, the first five Rays got on Wednesday before he recorded an out.MOVING DAYRoyals: OF Billy Burns, acquired from Oakland Friday, was recalled from Triple-A Omaha and RHP Brooks Pounders was optioned to the Pacific Coast League clubTRAINERS ROOMBurns will probably start Thursday because Yost does not want Lorenzo Cain to play a fourth straight game on the artificial turf at Tropicana Field. Cain returned from a left hamstring strain Friday.UP NEXTRoyals RHP Ian Kennedy (6-9) will face Rays LHP Drew Smyly (3-11) Thursday. Kennedy (26) and Smyly (22) are among the major-league leaders in home runs allowed. China Jerseys . -- The proud fathers huddled near the Dallas Stars dressing room, smiling, laughing and telling stories while wearing replica green sweaters of their sons team. Stitched Jerseys . Reigning world champion Eve Muirhead of Scotland opened with a 12-2 rout of Winnipegs Jennifer Jones in a battle of teams bound for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. https://www.cheapjerseysjustwholesale.com/ . Galatasaray said in a statement on its website Monday that Mancini signed a three-year contract and will be paid 3.5 million euros for the upcoming season, with his salary upped to 4. Custom Jerseys . -- Matt Kuchar and Harris English ran away with the Franklin Templeton Shootout, shooting a 14-under 58 on Sunday in the final-round scramble to break the tournament course record. Offcial Jerseys . Pierce was ejected in the third quarter of Indianas 103-86 win Monday. George Hill stole a bad pass and was going in for a layup, and Pierce hustled back and appeared to be trying to wrap him up. STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Fred Ross is confident Mississippi States offense is going to be productive this season.Just dont ask the senior receiver what it might look like. Truth is, he doesnt know.Thats because the Bulldogs have an unorthodox four-man quarterback race when preseason practice opens on Tuesday. Even though much of Mississippi States offense will stay the same no matter who is under center, theres no doubt the finished product will be tailored to the man taking the snaps.The skys the limit, Ross said Monday. But weve got to work at it during camp and get everything fixed. I dont know how this offense is going to be, but I do expect it to be good.Sophomore Nick Fitzgerald is one of the early favorites to win the quarterback job after several successful cameo appearances in 2015.As a redshirt freshman backing up senior star Dak Prescott, the 6-foot-5, 230-pound Fitzgerald completed nearly 80 percent of his passes for 235 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.But that performance wasnt good enough to earn him the starting job this fall. Instead, hes in a competition that started last spring and will almost certainly be the hottest topic of preseason camp.For the four quarterbacks -- Fitzgerald, sophomore Elijah Staley, junior Damian Williams and redshirt freshman Nick Tiano -- every snap they take during practice will be precious and heavily scrutinized. Coach Dan Mullen said they will all receive about 25 percent of the snaps in the opening days of preseason camp.The Bulldogs opener is at home against South Alabama on Sept. 3.Mullen said hell make a decision on the starting quarterback as soon as it defines itself. Hed like to do that during preseason practice but acknowledged the competition could last deep into the season.dddddddddddd.The eighth-year coach has been clear about the most important trait the eventual starter will possess: consistency.Who has made the improvements over the summer to be the most consistent performer to help us win football games? Mullen said. I think if you watched (all four) you say, `Wow, these guys can make some extraordinary plays.But the biggest thing we need is the guy who can make the play every single snap.The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Ross figures to be one of the most important players on Mississippi States offense no matter who is playing quarterback.Ross led the team with 88 catches for 1,007 yards and five touchdowns last season. Mullen said Ross could be a threat at several different positions because his versatility allows Mississippi States coaches to move him around the field and find good matchups.Another veteran playmaker is senior Brandon Holloway, who was second on the team with 413 yards rushing last year while catching 33 passes for 396 yards and five touchdowns.Mississippi State also returns a handful of experienced offensive linemen who will be charged with protecting the new quarterback.Now its just a matter of finding out exactly who that will be. Holloway didnt sound concerned.I think its going to be good, Holloway said. Im waiting to see the outcome as well.---Follow David Brandt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/davidbrandtAP---AP College Football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '